Maybe it was that monotone Brummie voice. Maybe it was his bloke-down-the-pub approach to introducing ITV’s coverage of live football.

Or maybe it was just the fact that he brought us the World Cup from Brazil last summer while wearing an unflattering pair of shorts on Copacabana Beach.

The news that Adrian Chiles has been rather unceremoniously dumped by his employers is unlikely to plunge the country into national mourning.

Adrian Chiles, who has been replaced as ITV's lead football host, pictured in west London on Friday

Chiles sports shorts and flip flops while presenting ITV's live World Cup coverage in Brazil last summer

At best, he was television Marmite. But the people who were turned off by his chummy — some would say irritating — style in the studio seem to be far greater in number than those who weren’t.

Essentially, Chiles always appeared to lack what was required to carry off such a key role. He possessed neither the suave composure of Des Lynam or the presence and professional input of Gary Lineker.

It takes more than a stint on Working Lunch and The One Show to achieve that.

He took to jabbering at his expert studio pundits, oblivious to Roy Keane’s death stares and the fact that no-one was laughing at his jokes or cared in the slightest that he supports West Bromwich Albion.

Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane (centre) left ITV prior to last summer's World Cup in Brazil

Pougatch and Chiles both work for BBC Radio 5 Live, with Chiles being handed an expanded role last summer

There is nothing wrong with trying to establish a rapport with your guests and viewers, but Chiles seemed to want a little too much of the limelight.

His move from the BBC to front ITV’s coverage of Champions League football and England internationals in 2010 always felt like a bad plan, not least because it briefly exposed us to his replacement Colin Murray on Match of the Day 2.

Murray found a new home and no doubt Chiles will as well. He will be back and we should wish him well until then. After all, far worse crimes have been committed on our television screens in the name of sport.

And as the 47-year-old follows his fellow ITV Sport departees Matt Smith and Andy Townsend into the studio sunset, all we ask is that he takes those shorts with him.